Welcome May, when the peonies are blooming, the weather is heating up, and backyard barbecues begin! That also means a new set of tasks to maintain your home. Here are this months tips for getting your house summer ready:
- Power wash your home’s exterior. Now that you cleaned the gunk out of your gutters in the previous month and pollen season has ended, it’s time to give your house a good bath. This is a crucial but often forgotten part of a homeowner’s upkeep. Prevent your siding from looking dingy and worn by either renting a power washer or hiring someone. I’m glad to give you some affordable suggestions.
- Wash and clean your windows inside and out. This goes hand in hand with the power washing! The weather is beautiful, and it helps to enjoy it when you can see through your windows clearly. I like to give ours a brief swipe around the edges with Clorox to prevent mold spores from moisture, and then a spritz with a peppermint oil and lemongrass mixture to deter spiders and other creepy crawlies.
- Clean, repair, and apply sealant to your deck or patio. Now that the weather is nice enough to stay outdoors, you want to make sure that the outdoor extensions of your home are prepared for the heat and activity. Last week actually, my doggo actually discovered a few railings that needed replacing when he was laying at the edge and rolled through the railing and off the deck because they were loose… it was hilarious and could have been way worse, but just an obvious example of why it’s important to keep your deck or patio in good shape.
- Inspect and clean your outdoor lighting. The spiders tend to like ours, so I also do the peppermint mixture spritzing here. There’s nothing like an electrical fire to put a damper on your memorial day party, so give your lights a thorough check.
- Oil your garage door tracks. Post power wash, this is also a great item to add to your maintenance list. Grit, grime, and heavy use are not friends to mechanical devices, so give your tracks some slide to keep things in good working order.
- Maintain the new growth in the yard. They say weed eaters are a man’s best friend, right? Keeping things tamed, keeping your yard mowed, and keeping growing plants pruned can alleviate a whole world of problems. Snakes, hornets, fire ants, moles, groundhogs, mice, spiders…need I say more? Plus, who doesn’t love a freshly mowed lawn and beautiful flowers?
- Check and clean range hood fans. Grease and dust buildup can burnout your system, so don’t neglect your interior tasks.
- Seal your tile grout. Moisture expansion and contraction can do a number on your home, and so does living life in general. This is a good thing to do once a year, although most people don’t. Resealing your grout can keep your tile cosmetically and functionally in good shape before the wear gets too bad to fix.
- Have your air conditioning system serviced if you didn’t do it in April. In NC we all know that an HVAC technicians busiest seasons are in the late spring and late fall. Don’t wait until your system goes out to get it repaired. Regular service and care for your system can mean the difference in thousands of dollars in the long run. And for goodness sake, change your dadgum air filter AT LEAST every 3 months!
Remember, these are all just suggestions. I try to break up tasks by month so that my husband and I aren’t slammed with them all during one month out of the year. Many of these we do ourselves, but I know how difficult it can be to keep up with home maintenance when life is busy and pulling you in 1,000 different directions. I’d be glad to share some great, affordable resources with you for these tasks if you need some direction. Feel free to reach out to me anytime with questions, comments, or suggestions on what you’d like to know more about! I’d love to meet you, coffee on me.
From my home to yours,
Mary Allison
At Home With Mary Allison Yancey 